soundcloud jump shark
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Is SoundCloud jumping the shark?

soundcloud jump shark

Oh no! Yet again, SoundCloud is in the news for the wrong reasons. We keep covering the SoundCloud soap opera, yet it never seems to end. Not content with making deals with big labels, setting them at odds with their users (some of whom have been with the site since the beginning), the music hosting site has rolled out new software to scan uploaded music for any possible copyright infringement.

In fact, you’ve probably already experienced the software, made by a company called Zefr, on Youtube. You’ve probably already seen this image glaring back at you, in your crate digging or music cruising moments.

youtube-takedown-notice

Like YouTube already does, it’s highly likely SoundCloud will leverage the Zefr technology to monetise copyright controlled content. As The Verge reports, Soundcloud already have a system from Audible Magic to scan and remove ‘illegal’ content, which has perhaps been far too effective at driving away users.

DJWORX regular, JesC has already been hit with a copyright takedown… for a remix that used a legitimately bought stem pack of Depeche Mode’s 2006 single, Martyr.

jesc-soundcloud-takedown
DJWORX reader JesC got this takedown recently… for using a remix pack the band sold.

And this was his response:

Hey @Soundcloud, @depechemode sold a remix kit for Martyr back when it came out. Not disputing, deleting my #soundcloud tonight.

Jesse is definitely not the only one to suffer recently at the hands of SoundCloud’s overbearing policing in the last few days. FACT Magazine points out a few people that got hit, as well as their own mixes getting pulled.

The beginning of the end..?

As Mark mentioned in a message to me when we were talking about this:

“Soundcloud is either suicidal or is pivoting to be something else.”

I doubt we would ever see the figures, but it would be interesting to see how many users are no longer uploading, no longer signing up and whether new signups are just there to listen.

One thing’s for sure, SoundCloud’s PR has been absolutely terrible around all these happenings. A read of their blog quickly shows mainly posts that are either back-patting for their ‘On SoundCloud‘ partner programme, or fighting fires. There’s never any mention of all these backroom deals and new content ID systems that have been happening. We have to read about them on tech sites, and there’s never any positive discussion about it from SoundCloud. I can’t help feeling like they’re trying to sweep it under the rug.

If the company want to avoid haemorrhaging users, they need to start talking to the people that matter: the grass-roots DJs and producers creating the mass of content they’re benefiting financially from. If there’s real issues with DJ mixtapes and using other people’s music, either find a way round it, or stop marketing the site as an option.

Wouldn’t it be better to notify uploaders of infringements while they’re in the process of adding the mix? Maybe talk about who and why the takedown? Have a link to some way to contact the claimant. As it stands, the onus is on ‘guilty until proven innocent’ with users, and the big labels always seem to get special treatment. It’s a horrible way to treat your customers. You know, those that pay your bills.

Here’s a question for you:

Do you support the measures SoundCloud is putting in place?

It seems like the only people benefiting from this clamping down are the big labels, and major players on SoundCloud that can leverage their following to potentially monetise their content. It does make you think, though… what is SoundCloud’s strategy on this? The whole point of the site from the start was to become a vibrant place to show off and discover new music.

Now, if this technology from Zefr does allow for artists to make money from ads, much like YouTube’s preroll and pop ups, there might be some potential. But it all comes back to the same thing: SoundCloud need to start talking to the common people (do I get a takedown for mentioning a Pulp song?).  We get our information second hand, and end up second guessing.

Don’t worry though, there are plenty of alternatives, which I just so happened to check out in my music hosting group test a few weeks ago. If you’re worried about the direction SoundCloud is taking, read up and make an informed decision.

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Dan Morse
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Opinionated DJWORX newsie. Loves Traktor, analogue mixers, vinyl and Android. The best Techno bedroom DJ you know.
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30 Comments

  1. Just like everything, most recently Record Store Day, the independents build it up to support themselves and the majors jump in because they see $$ and ruin it for everyone else.

  2. I think the issue is that there’s too many alternatives, but that none are gaining the kind of traction that Soundcloud has, even with its countless problems. I’m finding similar networking possibilities in Mixcloud, but that isn’t supposed to be a place to put up remixes, and with my Soundcloud recently shut down, I don’t really know where to go next. I don’t even have a way to reach out to my former SC followers, because I didn’t start a Facebook page early enough.

    1. Definitely agree with your point. Soundcloud was great because it was a centralized resource for both content creators and music fans. This is the same reason some users are hesitant to give Soundcloud the big middle finger and close their accounts. It’s very easy to choose an alternative but not everyone will end up in the same place. I went with hearthis.at but I know some people will choose something else. This means losing part of your audience, like you mention. It’s cool that sites like DJWorx offer some way to make an informed decision. I tend to be an optimistic and keep thinking that if the music I create is good enough, then people will follow it/me no matter where it’s hosted. Just my 2 cents.

  4. Part of me wonders how “the majors” benefit monetarily from these actions. Shutting down DJ mixes/remixes and so on means that the music they sell has one less way of being heard which is what leads people to buy it. I wondered how can you make money by shutting down venues where you can hear the music? It isn’t until you look at this from a 50,000 foot view that the picture emerges.

    Frankly, I see far more nefarious machinations behind these “you can’t play this music because…” crap. To me this represents nothing less than the naked hand of corporate greed trying to be the sole determinant of culture. If all culture is a remix and corporate a-holes block people from access to those remixable elements, they can (at least in their depraved thinking) control culture and turn a profit on it.

    They totally fail to understand cultural authenticity but…

    Doubt my reasoning? Note this… NOBODY gave two shits about SoundCloud and the mixes that were posted there UNTIL “the majors” got involved with EDM. Once they started churning out EDM they recognized that SoundCloud was a threat to their stinky, self-centered, nasty plan to control that bit of culture too.

    What DJs need to hope for is that significant numbers of people who like to dance, enjoy club culture, etc. turn their backs on major-label EDM and spend their cash elsewhere. Convincing those buyers that major-label EDM “ain’t authentic” could be a start.

    The unfortunate thing is that being successful in that effort to convince buyers will likely only cause a backlash from “the majors” and we’ll all watch them move into some other area…

  5. If it the record labels are behind this on Soundcloud why are they not having an issue with all the the music content on Youtube?? EVERYTHING is on Youtube for free in the tracks original format.. At least on Soundcloud it is in a mix tape or a remixed track normally and is mainly for promotional use.

  6. I really don’t think Soundcloud was designed from get-go for DJ mixes, Mixcrate/Mixcloud and the rest do a much better job. Mixlr is even the future of direct DJ:ing with no bunny avatars. And never underestimate just hosting your own podcasts on your own web site.

  8. Soundcloud kicked me off the site 2 weeks ago because I had three strikes on my account for copyright. At the moment I’m on mixcloud, hearthis, and audiomack. I like audiomack the best but its too new to say if its stable site for the future. I hoping mixcloud can gain some traction. I think the problem is getting the listeners to leave soundcloud.

  9. I’m not sure how anyone is uploading anything to Soundcloud without it being blocked unless it is original content. I left that site months ago when this first started. I do like Mixcloud but there aren’t nearly as many people on it, and I also think it’s just a matter of time before it and the other sites are attacked also.

    And, I really don’t understand how this software doesn’t take down 90% of youtube? I mean any song I can think of, I can search on youtube and find multiple uploads with hundreds or thousands of listens. Yet, if I try and post a live set, I get takedown notification? And, I am not exactly playing commercial or even well known music. It’s crazy to me.

    1. The software is designed to find copyrighted content so they can monetise it. If you upload a Kelis song and her label is has given the OK, they stick ads on with the money shared between the label and Google (I think). The potential plan on SC is to do the same.

    2. Mixcloud has implemented a service where they track X song by Y artist is in Z mix and pay them the royalties.
      As for youtube… who knows?

  10. They needed the people to start and make a name, now big companies have focused on them because they manage to make a name, so they are kicking people and going where the money is. End of story. It’s always like that. Obviously they are not “suicidal” what company is nowadays? Soundcloud is clearly “pivoting to be something else.”

  11. I rarely use Soundcloud even though I have an account, and a couple of mixes. But my girlfriend uses it constantly, she listens to mixes for free and never buys anything anymore. Four years ago she bought Beatport tracks (with my money) constantly and a few years before that, cds at least twice a month.
    People think this crackdown is about copyrighted material and corporate greed, to a point I agree, but I also think it is also desperate measures being taken.
    Think of how many people just stream Soundcloud for free as unlimited well made mixes.
    Googleplay is 7$ a month I use it constantly and still feel I am cheating artists of money.
    Youtube has adds.
    Digitally imported has adds or a subscription.
    Beatport now streams but is geared still towards djs and limited to select playlists.

    My point is… It may not be legitimate djs and people who want to express themselves targeted here, it’s the millions like my girlfriend who no longer pay for music at all.

    1. The problem is that it isn’t the artists that are compensated anyway. It’s the labels. Yes, this is to be prevent copyright infringement, but the money you aren’t spending was barely going to go to the artists regardless.
      Which is why I use bandcamp almost exclusively, and almost only buy underground stuff where the artist takes a bigger cut. But I buy a LOT of music.

  12. I most certainly do not support not only what Sound Cloud is doing, but more importantly, how they’re doing it. I do not use their service, and strongly deter those interested in doing so, not to.

  14. Soundcloud will end up like MySpace, nobody remembers it.

    i stopped even trying to post tracks on there about 2 years ago, literally the only use it has for me now is the occasion i want to hear a famous DJs mix (all the none famous DJs tend not to post on there anymore)

  15. i sometimes wonder if it was better before Dance Music exploded, the pre Guetta days you could post downloadable mixes online and no record companies cared really

      1. agreed they were on the scene but a scene that was basically underground, as soon as it got big the record companies have suddenly turned into large corporations who care about people using their stuff